Near a Plantation: Free Villages in Barbados, 1905-1945

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Woodville Marshall

Language:

English

Place of Publication:

University of the West Indies Press 2025

Summary:

In Near a Plantation, Woodville Marshallpresents a transformative account of post-slavery Barbados. Through meticulousexamination of wills and deeds, Marshall challenges established assumptions,delving deep into the complex dynamics that influenced the lives of formerslaves. His exploration offers a comprehensive perspective that reshapes ourunderstanding of how free villages came to be in Barbados. Marshallscareful examination reveals the hurdles faced by the formerly enslaved inobtaining land. Plantation owners monopolized land and controlled labour,leaving little opportunity for others. Despite this, some ex-slaves found waysto secure land through negotiation or purchasing from speculators. As the storyprogresses, we learn about the beginnings of free villages, where landspeculators and negotiations with former masters played pivotal roles. Against thebackdrop of economic downturns and shifting social landscapes, Marshall chartsthe rapid expansion of free villages, driven by newfound opportunities for landownership and the influx of remittances. This narrative culminates in thetransformative impact of free villages on the economic and socio-politicaldynamics in Barbados and how it fostered avenues for social mobility andcontributed to the modernization of Barbadian society. Near aPlantation not only fills a critical gap inpost-slavery literature but also prompts a fundamental reassessment ofhistorical narratives surrounding emancipation in Barbados. Marshallsmethodological approach, seamlessly weaving archival insights into a compellingnarrative, offers invaluable perspectives for scholars, students andenthusiasts of Caribbean history alike.

ISBN:

9789766409623

9766409625